Athlete Advisory Council Elections

The United States Olympic Committee Athletes’ Advisory Council is composed of a representative from each Olympic and Pan Am sport, as well as two Paralympic athlete representatives. Each NGB is responsible for conducting an election of its representative from its pool of eligible athletes (“active athletes”). The election must take place between the summer Olympic Games and the end of that year. The eligible athletes are those who have competed in the Olympic Games, Pan Am Games, or other Operation Gold competition within ten (10) years preceding the election. In team handball, there is one Operation Gold competition, World Championships. Presently, there are 57 individuals who meet the definition of “active athlete” and who are eligible to vote for and serve as the USOC AAC representative. The AAC representative will have an alternate who must be of the opposite gender.

The Election Procedures and the list of Active Athletes are annexed to this memorandum. Anyone who is eligible and is interested in running for the position should read the election procedures carefully and contact Steve Pastorino, General Manager of USA Team Handball.

Typically, the USOC AAC representative will be expected to attend three meetings per year, as well as serve on a sub-committee or task force, as needed. The AAC rep will often be a member of the board of directors of his or her NGB as well, and would be expected to attend the NGB board meetings. It is my understanding that the team handball AAC rep and alternate will be members of the board of USA Team Handball. The AAC representative’s general responsibilities include ensuring that the NGB complies with the requirement that there be the requisite athlete voice and vote in connection with its operations, advising athletes about their rights with regard to anti-doping matters, right-to-compete matters, disciplinary matters, and other miscellaneous issues. The AAC rep will participate in the development of the High Performance Plan by the NGB for review by the USOC. The AAC rep will be the liason between the NGB and the athletes for all athlete-related issues.

I would be happy to answer any questions relating to the role and responsibilities of the AAC representative. Please feel free to contact me by email at mvh@hgvmlaw.com.

USOC ATHLETES’ ADVISORY COUNCIL ELECTION PROCEDURES TEAM HANDBALL

Section 1.1. Designation.

The sport of Team Handball shall have a representative and an alternate representative to the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council.

Section 1.2. Qualifications.

Those individuals who have represented the United States as athletes in the Olympic Games, World Championships, or other Operation Gold event within the ten (10) year period prior to December 31 of the year in which the election is held shall be eligible to run for election to the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council. Additionally, in order to be eligible to run for election, an individual must be a citizen of the United States, eighteen (18) years of age or older by December 31 of the year in which the election is held, and must not be a paid employee of any NGB or the USOC.

Section 1.3. Election/Selection.

The election for the Team Handball USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council position shall take place after conclusion of the Summer Olympic Games, but prior to January 1 of the year following the Summer Olympic Games.

An individual who wishes to run for election to the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council and to be placed on the ballot must obtain at least ten (10) signatures of support from individuals entitled to vote in the election, excluding the individual seeking nomination. Those individuals who have represented the United States as athletes in the Olympic Games, World Championships or other Operation Gold event within the ten (10) year period prior to December 31 of the year in which the election is held shall be eligible to vote in the election. Additionally, in order to be eligible to vote in the election, an individual shall be a citizen of the United States and eighteen (18) years of age or older by December 31 of the year in which the election is held.

After an individual has received ten (10) nominations, mailed the signatures of those that nominated the individual to the USOC Sport Partnership Director or his/her designee, and the authenticity and eligibility of those that nominated the individual has been verified, then the USOC Sport Partnership Director or his/her designee shall place the nominated individual on the ballot for election to the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council.

After the USOC Sport Partnership Director or his/her designee has received all the nominations, he or she shall send written or electronic ballots to those that are eligible to vote for the Team Handball USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council position. The individual with the highest vote total is elected as athlete representative to the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council. The individual with the second highest vote total of the opposite gender is elected as the alternate representative to the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council. Unless allowed by the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council, the process between nomination and election to the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council shall take no longer than four (4) months.

Section 1.4. Resignation, Removal, and Vacancies.

A Team Handball USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council position shall be declared vacant upon the resignation, removal, incapacity, disability or death of that individual. Any USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council representative may resign at any time by giving written notice to the USOC Sport Partnership Director or his/her designee. Such resignation shall take effect at the time specified therein, and unless otherwise specified therein, the acceptance of such resignation shall not be necessary to make it effective.

In addition, a USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council member or alternate may be removed at any time with or without cause by a two-thirds vote of the those that voted the Team Handball USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council member or alternate to the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council.

Section 1.5. Tenure.

The term for all representatives to the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council shall be for four (4) years. A representative shall remain on the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council until the representative’s successor is elected and qualified, or until the representative’s earlier resignation, removal, incapacity, disability or death.

When a USOC Athletes Advisory Council representative is elected to fill a vacancy because of the resignation, removal, incapacity, disability or death of the USOC Athletes Advisory Council representative, and the remaining term is two or more years, such term shall constitute a full term. Thus, if the vacancy being filled is for two (2) or more years, following completion of the filled vacancy term, the USOC Athletes Advisory Council representative may serve only one (1) additional four (4) year term. If the vacancy being filled is for less than two (2) years, the term shall not be a full term and, following completion of the filled vacancy term, the USOC Athletes Advisory representative shall be able to serve two (2) additional four (4) year terms.

Section 1.6. Term Limits.

No representative to the USOC Athletes’ Advisory Council shall serve for more than two (2) consecutive terms. There is no term limit restriction for the position of alternate representative.

Section 1.7. Grievance.

Should an athlete wish to file a grievance related to these procedures, the grievance shall be resolved within the grievance resolution procedures set forth within the USOC bylaws.

ACTIVE ATHLETES AS OF AUGUST, 2008

***Note: The below-listed individuals must have competed in one or more of the following events: 1999 Pan Am Games, 2001 Men’s World Championships, 2003 Pan Am Games.*** Pursuant to Article XII, Section 12.3 of the USOC Bylaws, “active athletes” must have represented the United States in the Olympic, Pan American or Paralympic Games, World Championships, or an event designated as an Operation Gold event within the ten (10) years preceding a specified election. (The only Operation Gold event for Team Handball is the World Championships). The event listed after the athlete’s name is the last qualifying event in which that individual participated.